Reading as part of the Invention process

Topic Selection

Selecting a good topic for an open-ended assignment can be a challenge, but there are many things worth pursuing.  For example, all of these topics are unique and narrowed, and there is ongoing debate about them in at least some forum:

• Negative effects of society’s expectation that everyone should go to college
• Evaluating the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear storage facility in light of the Japanese nuclear disaster
• The “CSI Effect”: How forensic investigation dramas distort jury perceptions of evidence standards
• Societal ramifications of unscheduled but potentially harmful drugs (like Salvia divinorum)
• Effects changes in the Motion Picture Rating System have had on perceptions of acceptable media content
• Language proficiency assessment for Arabic speakers in the military
• Psychology of alien abduction reports
• Rise in unclaimed bodies at morgues

To find a salient topic, consider browsing sources that provide in-depth discussion of contemporary issues, rather than relying on sources with mass market appeal.  A few of those I find helpful when looking for timely topics are listed after the jump.  (And here's a list of some key content farm sites to avoid (click here).

http://www.theatlantic.com/  Excellent discussion of a wide variety of contemporary issues, with authors across the (mainstream) political spectrum.

http://www.slate.com/  Online-only publication, similar in many ways to The Atlantic.  Generally varied authorial perspective; left-leaning positions are slightly more represented.

http://www.salon.com/  Similar to slate.com, but slightly more pop culture driven.  (A bit more of the “what people want to hear” rather than “what informed citizens should know.”)  Still, some thorough discussions of serious contemporary social issues.

http://www.thenation.com/ If you prefer your news and commentary from the left.

http://www.nationalreview.com/ If you prefer your news and commentary from the right.

http://www.ted.com  Great selection of short video presentations from experts on a variety of topics.  The TED conferences that produce these videos are especially popular with early adopters, innovators, futurists, and people who just like learning things.

http://chronicle.com/ The Chronicle of Higher Education does what it says, and is a must-read for anyone looking to understand current trends in academia today.

http://www.pcmag.com While a lot of this is similar to what you’d find on Ars Technica or Gizmodo, PC Magazine has a nice Opinion section that often addresses the cultural ramifications of technology.  I especially appreciate the snarky John Dvorak.

http://www.hbr.org  The Harvard Business Review is a great source for accessible commentary on Corporate America, including issues in management, leadership, business strategy, and the economy.

You might also try: The New Yorker, Gallup Management Journal, The Economist, Harpers, The Progressive, The Weekly Standard, The New Republic, and Reason Magazine. 

For a roulette approach to these (plus many more), try the compilation blog Give Me Something to Read.  It’s a bit like StumbleUpon or Reddit, but with more text-driven articles and fewer videos of cats.

Or, if you know of any niche/specialty publications for a particular interest or industry, you might consider browsing through them for specific, narrowed topics.